Stamp vending machine



Sept. 19, 1967 J. L. SURBER ETAL 3,342,394

STAMP VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2N JOR .,5O 3% V W 7 :33 $2 5 q WV NV ivmTE 9 WWW m a 6 H JJ 0? r4 A TTORN E Y5 Sept. 19, 1967 J. L. SURBER ETAL STAMP VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 13, 1964 JOHN L. SURBER JOHN L. SURBERJR.

EDWARD E. ANDERSON I NVENTORS.

ATTORNE Y5 P 1967 J. L. SURBER ETAL 3,342,394

STAMP VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 13, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JOHN L. SURBER JOHN L. SURBER, JR. EDWARIg E. ANDERSON ATTORNEYS IN VEN TORS.

Sept. 19, 1967 J. SURBER ETAL STAMP VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 DA 9) m 0 M 5 @M U M w on Q 5 A Q 0 [4) &W M 8 .M g v @W -1 2% I 2 v 1 i w a 0 C lo 5 5 5 p 7 0 0 0 a 8 w w I! 6 v 9 9 04 E 5 m f w I 2 N N N E T 5 Y 9 M m PVC 5 #Il'AllQ MW 4 7 E5 D JOHN L. SURBER JOHN L. SURBERJJR. EDWARD EANDERSON INVENTORS.

BY 1 J $34M ATTORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,342,394 STAMP VENDING MACHINE John L. Surber, 1920 National Bank of Commerce Bldg. 78205; John L. Surher, Jr., 166 Greenhaven 78201; and Edward E. Anderson, 2112 Pleasanton Road 78221, all of San Antonio, Tex.

Original application Oct. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 403,514, now Patent No. 3,310,211, dated Mar. 21, 1967. Divided and this application .luly 18, 1966, Ser. No. 578,913

2 Claims. (Cl. 226-141) This is a division of application Ser. No. 403,514, filed Oct. 13, 1964, now Patent No. 3,310,211, and entitled, Stamp Vending Machine.

This invention relates to stamp vending machines generally, and, more particularly, to a stamp vending machine which dispenses one or more stamps from a web of stamps formed into a roll and mounted in the machine.

Such machine moves the stamp web from the roll to the outlet of the machine along a web supporting track. Usually the web is moved relative to the track a predetermined distance to vend a preselected number of stamps. The web is moved on the track by a member that moves over the track carrying fingers which engage one or more perforations in one of the lateral rows of perforations located between the stamps. These perforation engaging fingers are pivotally mounted to allow them to move into and out of engagement with the perforations and their pivot point is located so each finger will remain in engagement with any perforation it encounters when traveling in one direction and will rachet past any perforation it encounters when traveling in the other direction. In the past, it has been the practice either to space these fingers according to the expected spacing of the perforations in the stamp web, or to space the fingers a distance less than the expected spacing of the perforations in adjacent, side-by-side, relationship.

With the first arrangement the fingers would by-pass any row of perforations that was laterally out of alignment with the fingers. This misalignment could result from lateral movement of the web on the track, the fingers on their support, the finger support itself, or any combination thereof. In addition, the row of perforations may be shifted laterally when formed in the stamp web due to machining tolerances in the perforating apparatus.

With the second arrangement the problem of skipping over the desired row of perforations was greatly reduced for usually at least one finger would be in position to encounter a perforation in the desired row even though the location of the perforation shifted laterally.

It is considered desirable to independently resiliently bias each finger toward the stamp web. This is particularly true in the latter arrangement since the fingers are in close proximity and may be sufficiently in engagement to develop enough static friction between them to keep a single individual finger from falling into a perforation. Further, it is desirable to allow as many of the fingers as possible to extend through the perforations they engage to a point below the strip. Otherwise only very small areas on the lowermost parts of the fingers are in engagement with the strip and slight vibrations in the machine can cause them to jump out of engagement. To allow the fingers to better engage the perforations, it has been proposed to provide a groove or grooves in the track into which some of the fingers thereabove could extend. Where the fingers were spaced apart the same distance as the perforations, a groove was placed in line with each finger. Where the fingers were in side-by-side adjacent relationship and spaced apart less than that of the perforations, a single wide groove was provided. In this latter arrangement, the resilient means urging the fingers toward the stamp web could not be used since the unsupported portion of the web over the groove would be forced into the "ice groove by the combined force of the fingers and the ability of the fingers to fully engage the perforations was greatly reduced.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a stamp vending machine that has a plurality of perforation engaging fingers arranged in a row laterally across a stamp web in which enough of said fingers will engage perforations fully and adequately to insure advancement of the web with the fingers, when said fingers are moved in one direction along the web.

When vending stamps from a stamp web roll, the stamps vended must be cut off or torn from the web. Tearing off usually is done by the customer; whereas cutting is done by the machine itself. Unless the portion of the stamp web between the knives and the fingers travels along the same path each time, the length cut off will vary. The knives usually are located adjacent the outlet end of the track and any buckling of the web that causes portions thereof to move away from the track will alter the length of web moved past the outlet between the knives.

Therefore, it is another object of this invention to provide a stamp vending machine having apparatus that will hold the portion of the stamp web between the means engaging the web to move it along the track and the outlet end of the track in engagement with its supporting track and free of buckles, as the stamp web is being moved along the track toward the knives.

Another problem encountered in stamp vending machines of this type is the tendency of the gummed side of the stamp web, which is in engagement with the track, to tend to stick to the track. This is a particularly troublesome problem in machines located where the humidity and temperature is high. Also, stamp webs occasionally have incompletely formed perforations with pieces of paper still in the holes that fall out as the Web travels along the track. These pieces of paper periodically build up and interfere with the proper operation of the machine.

It is, therefore, another object and one of the features of this invention to provide a stamp vending machine having a stamp web supporting track that provides a minimum of surface area in contact with the gummed side of the Web to reduce the tendency of the web to stick to the track and that allows any loose pieces of paper carried onto the track by the stamp web to fall through the track so as not to interfere with the movement of the stamp web thereon.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a stamp vending machine that is operated by a shaft which rotates in one direction through approximately the same angle of rotation with each operation of the machine but which moves the stamp web engaging member an adjustable distance along the web supporting track to allow the number of stamps vended to be changed by adjusting the distance traveled by the web engaging member.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

This invention will now be described in detail in connection with an embodiment thereof illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an electrically operated stamp vending machine constructed in accordance with this invention illustrating the machine approximately midway through a cycle of operation;

FIGURE 2 is a front view, in elevation, of the machine in FIGURE 1 illustrating the arrangement of the knives employed to cut off the vented portion of the stamp web;

FIGURE 3 is a section view on an enlarged scale taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing a side view of the crank mounted on the rotating shaft driven by the electric motor, which engages the spring cam on the arm employed to move the stamp web engaging fingers along the track;

FIGURE 4 is a view on an enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 showing how the track supports the portion of the stamp web engaged by the fingers while allowing a sufiicient number of the fingers to extend through the perforations to ensure positive movement of the web by the fingers and also showing how the fingers are mounted above the web and the arrangement of the individual spring wires used in this embodiment to resiliently bias the fingers into engagement with the perforations;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating how a perforation engaging finger of the apparatus of this invention can adjust its position laterally to move further through the perforation, even though one of the web supporting surfaces of the track is covering part of the openmg;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic electrical diagram illustrating a circuit suitable for controlling the operation of the machine; and

FIGURE 7 shows an enlarged end view of one of the perforation engaging fingers and the spring wire used in this embodiment to bias the finger independently toward the stamp web.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the stamp vending machine illustrated includes a vertical mounting plate 10 to which the various components of the mechanism are attached. Normally, the plate and the mechanism are enclosed in a suitable case to protect the mechanism and give the machine an attractive appearance. This case forms no part of this invention and for clarity is not shown in the drawings.

A cylindrical container 11, having a central pin or shaft 12, is mounted on the upper right hand portion of plate 10 to rotatably support rolled-up stamp web 13. The stamp web comprises an elongated strip of stamps having a lateral row of perforations between each stamp. The end portion 14 of the stamp web, represented by the dotted line leading downwardly from the roll, is threaded between rollers 15a and 15b, and extends along the arcuate surface of track 16 to the upper edge of stationary knife blade 17. The web is resiliently held in engagement with the upper surface of this knife blade by spring clip 19, which is supported by bracket 2i attached to track 16. The spring clip is attached to the bracket by bolt 21, and, preferably, is wide enough to hold the strip against movement during the cutting operation to insure that the web is cut off square.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, a track is provided for supporting the stamp web which keeps to a minimum the surface area of the track in engagement with the gummed side of the web and also allows any debris carried by the web to fall through the track away from its supporting surface to keep the debris from building up and interfering with the stamp web on the track.

Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, track 16 comprises a plurality of plates 25a25m, assembled in side-by-side relationship. All of the plates have the same shape except the two outside plates 25a and 25m and are provided with a longitudinally concave edge surface 24 to support the stamp web as it moves from the inlet end of the track adjacent the stamp roll to the outlet end adjacent the knives. Two groups of four plates each, 25a25d and 25i-25m, are arranged in contiguous, sideby-side relationship on opposite side of and spaced from the four middle plates 252-2511. Each of the two outside groups have three plates 25b-25d and 25i25k, positioned to support the outer edges of stamp web 14 on their concave arcuate edge surfaces. The outside plate of each group, 25a and 25m has a portion bent over the support surface of the adjacent plates, as shown, to form two opposing arcuate grooves 28a and 28b in which the edges of the stamp web are confined. These outer plates then restrict the lateral movement of the web and they keep the stamp web from curling as it moves along the track.

Supporting the span of the stamp web between the two groups of plates supporting its edges are plates 25c, 25 25g and 2511. These plates support the portion of the stamp web engaged by the fingers 26. The thickness of these plates and the number used are kept to a minimum, not only to reduce the surface area in engagement with the gummed side of the web, but also to reduce the chances that any of the fingers 26 that extend into erforations 34 to move the stamp web along the track, will engage one of the plates 25. For if a plate is in line with a perforation, it will keep the finger that is in position to engage the perforation from entering completely therein. Further, whenever a finger hits a supporting plate as it rachets into and out of the perforations, when it is returning to its starting position, the finger will wear away and become less eflicient. Therefore, preferably, the thickness of each plate is less than the width of a perforation and fewer plates are provided than there are perforations to insure that at least one perforation is not located over a plate. For example, with these plates arranged relative to the perforations as shown in FIGURE 4, six fingers can be located to enter a perforation. The next time the fingers engage a row of perforations, the stamp web and/or the perforations may be shifted lateraily, also the fingers can move laterally to some extent, as explained below, so the same fingers may or may not be in position to enter a perforation. With this arrangement, however, some fingers will be positioned to do so, thereby insuring that the fingers will move the stamp web with each operation of the machine.

The supporting edge surfaces 24 of these plates are rounded or convex in cross-section as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 to further reduce the area of the track in contact with the gummed edge of the web. Further, a track having this latter feature when combined with stamp web engaging fingers that can move laterally to some extent allows a finger to move into a perforation on occasions even though it engages a supporting plate. For example, should support plate 25c be positioned under one side of perforation 34a as shown in FIGURE 5, so that its stamp web supporting surface 24a is engaged by finger 26a as the finger enters the perforation; the finger, being free to move laterally to some degree, can move to the left to the position shown by the dotted lines, enter the perforation, and move the stamp web along with the finger. Support surface 24a, being convex in cross section, produces a lateral component of the normal force between the finger and the support surface to urge the finger to move laterally. Thus, with this arrangement a perforation engaging finger may enter a perforation and help move the stamp web along the track even though the perforation lies over one of the supporting surfaces of the track.

In addition to reducing the surface area in contact with the gummed side of the web to a minimum, the spaces that are provided between the plates supporting the center section of the stamp web, allow any piece of paper or other debris, that may still be located in a perforation or otherwise carried with the stamp web, to fall through these spaces to the bottom of the housing of the stamp machine, or out of the stamp machine if the bottom is open, eliminating any possibility of this debris collecting on the stamp web supporting surface of the track and interfering with the movement of the stamp web. The plates are assembled into a stamp supporting track by extending bolts 29, three of which are used in the embodiment shown, laterally through aligned holes provided therefor in the plates. The four center plates are spaced from the two edge supporting groups by spacer washers (not shown) mounted on the bolts and positioned between these plates to space the plates the desired distance apart.

Fingers 26, are mounted for independent pivotal movement in side-by-side relationship on shaft 30 which is supported by bracket 31. The bracket, in turn, is atta hed to finger arm 32 by integrally attached threaded stud 31c, which extends through opening 32a and nut 31d. The bracket extends laterally over track 16 to position the fingers to engage the portion of the stamp web between opposing end faces 33a and 33b of outside plates 25a and 25m of track 16. Preferably, the fingers 26 are arranged on shaft 30 in slightly spaced side-by-side relationship to provide a nearly solid bank of fingers across a portion of the stamp web. The fingers are slightly spaced to allow the lateral movement described above in connection with FIG- URE 5 and the rounded support surfaces on plates 25e- 25h. The fingers are not held spaced apart a given distance, but are mounted on shaft 30 so each finger can move freely laterally to the extent allowed by the adjacent fingers and the opposing faces 31a and 31b of bracket 31. In other words, the distance between faces 31a and 31b is greater than the stack height of the fingers by the amount required for the lateral movement desired. The fingers, of course, constantly change the distribution of this space between them as they move back and forth over the strip. In the commercial embodiment of this invention, for example, the stack height of the fingers is about .600 inch, there being 30 fingers, .020 inch thick and the space between faces 31a and 31b is .625 inch. This gives .025 inch to be distributed between the fingers.

Preferably, each finger has as its maximum thickness the thickness of the portion of the finger adapted to enter a perforation. Obviously, this simplifies their manufacture. Further, it allows the perforation engaging portions of the fingers to move laterally into and out of engagement with the perforation engaging portions of the adjacent fingers and take advantage of all of the space allocated for lateral movement of the fingers. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, fingers 26 are formed out of fiat plate having a thickness of less than the diameter of perforations 34 in the stamp web. Each finger is provided with a relatively sharp pointed wedge-shaped tip 27 to engage the stamp web and to enter each perforation it encounters. The angle the sides make with each other at the pointed end of the tip determines how far the tip can enter a perforation of a given diameter.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention each stamp web engaging finger is biased independently into engagement with the stamp web. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, each finger has attached to it a single strand of resilient wire 35 extending upwardly therefrom. As shown in FIGURE 7, the spring wires are attached to the fingers by inserting the wires into a hole drilled in the top surface of the finger and soldering, welding, or otherwise attaching them therein. With this arrangement, each wire is located between the upward projections of the sides of the finger to which it is attached and does not interfere with the lateral movement of the finger.

Each strand of wire is initially straight but is deflected laterally, in the manner shown in FIGURE 1, by pin 36 when the fingers are assembled on supporting arm 32. This slight curvature imposed in the wires, one of which is associated with each finger 26, results in a downward resilient force being exerted on each finger biasing it into engagement with stamp web 14. Thus, a positive force is provided that acts on each finger independently to insure that the finger will move into any perforation it encounters as it travels along the stamp web, regardless of what the adjacent fingers do or fail to do.

If at least one of the fingers encounters a perforation as the finger supporting arm 32 moves clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1, the finger will carry the stamp web along with it. When the arm is moving counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 1, each finger will rachet into and out of any perforation it should encounter in the stamp web. Thus, by oscillating arm 32 so that the fingers move parallel to the supporting surface of track 16 and in engagement with end portion 14 of the stamp web supported thereon, the stamp web will be moved relative to the track upon each clockwise swing of the arm.

As explained above, it is important to prevent the web from buckling or otherwise moving away from the track, as it is moved along the track to insure that the same length of web is moved through the knives each time the machine operates. It has been found that this can be done with the very force that causes the web to buckle. Buckling, of course, results when something ahead of the web moving means resists the movement of the web. In accordance with this invention then, means are provided to hold in compression the portion of the stamp web between the web engaging fingers and the outlet end of the track, thereby urging this portion to buckle. Since this portion is already curved along the track, however, it will buckle or bow due to the compressive force, in the direction of the track causing it to engage the track all along its length as it travels toward the knives.

In the embodiment illustrated this is accomplished by spring clip 19. The clip holds stamp web 14 in engagement with the top of stationary knife blade 17 adjacent the outlet end of the track with a constant uniform resilient force. This normal force results in frictional forces between the stamp web and the knife and between the web and the clip that resist movement of the web in either direction relative to the clip and knife blade. Thus when arm 32 and fingers 26 start to move the stamp web toward the clip and knife blade, the portion of the web therebetween will be placed in compression. This causes the stamp web to tend to bow and buckle, but as explained above, since it is already curved along the concave "supporting surface of track 16, it will bow in the direction of the track and be held in engagement therewith.

These same frictional forces produced by spring clip 19, also, serve to hold the stamp web against retrograde movement or movement away from the knives as fingers 26 move back to their original position.

Arm 32 is pivotally mounted on bushing 40 which is at: tached to mounting plate 10 as shown in FIGURE 3. The bushing is positioned so fingers 26 will move along the arcuate surface of track 16 as arm 32 oscillates. The arm is held on bushing 40 by retaining nut 40a.

Adjustable stop means are provided to determine the angle through which arm 32 oscillates which in turn determines the number of stamps vended per oscillation. A front stop 41 and a back stop 42 are provided which comprise two L-shaped plates having legs 41b and 42b removably mounted to mounting plate 10 with the other legs 41a and 42a extending laterally out from the mounting plate in the path of arm 32. Mounted in legs 41a and 42a are adjusting screws 43 and 44 respectively. Both of these screws are held in the desired position by nuts and can be used to make adjustments in the distance through which arm 32 can oscillate as required to locate the web sothe knives cut along a row of perforations. Mounting plate 10 also is provided with a plurality of holes 37 to allow the rear stop 42 to be moved to change the length of travel of arm 32 along track 16 to change the length of web, i.e., the number of stamps vended. As shown in FIGURE 1, the stop means are located to allow the arm to travel substantially over the entire stamp supporting surface of track 16.

In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, means are provided for rotating a pivotally mounted arm a predetermined adjustable distance by a rotating shaft that rotates through substantially the same angle in the same direction with each rotation of the arm. The stamp vending machine shown in the drawings is electrically operated, power being supplied to drive the mechanism by electric motor 45. Output shaft 46- of the motor drives shaft 47 through speed reducer 48 (FIGURE 2). As shown in FIGURE 3, shaft 47 extends from the speed reducer through mounting plate 10 and bushing 40 which acts as a radial bearing for the shaft.

Attached to the end of the shaft is double ended crank or cam driver 49. The crank is provided with a hub portion 50 and a tapped hole is provided in the hub and the shaft to receive set screw 51 to hold the crank in the desired position on the shaft and to cause the crank to be rotated with the shaft. On the outer ends of crank arm 49 are rollers 52 and 53 which are rotatably supported by pins 54 and 55 for rotation relative thereto. Pins 54 and 55 extend through the rollers and the crank arm and the portion extending beyond the crank is staked or otherwise upset. The pins have enlarged heads 54a and 550: on their other ends which engage the outer ends of the rollers and hold the rollers on the pins.

To transmit the rotating motion of crank 49 in a clockwise direction to arm 32, cam 56 is pivotally mounted on arm 32 by stub shaft 57. Coil spring 58 resiliently biases the cam to the position shown in FIGURE 1 against pin 36 which in this case functions as a stop to limit the rotation of cam 56. Coil spring 58 is connected between end 56b of the cam and pin 59 attached to the arm. Thus spring 58 will resiliently resist rotation of cam 56 around stub shaft 57 in a counterclockwise direction.

The portion 56a of the cam on the opposite side of stub shaft 57 from end 561) is positioned to be engaged alternately by rollers 52 and 53 carried by crank 49 as the crank is rotated clockwise by shaft 47. When either of the rollers engages this portion of cam, the cam being resiliently held against counterclockwise rotation on its pivot 57 by spring 58, will move the arm 32 clockwise with the crank. The arm will continue rotating with the crank in a clockwise direction until arm 32 strikes the front stop 41. Since the arm cannot continue to rotate past this point, crank arm 49 will pivot cam 56 around stub shaft 57, overcoming the force of spring 58, allowing the crank to move out of engagement with the cam (as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 1). Once the cam is clear of the crank arm, spring 60, which is attached to the arm and to mounting plate 10, will return the arm in a counterclockwise direction back into engagement with rear stop 42.

Thus, with this arrangement, crank arm 49 and shaft 47 and consequently motor 45 can be arranged to rotate through the same angle of rotation each time the motor is energized, yet the distance traveled by arm 32 can be easily adjusted to deliver the number of stamps desired.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention knives are provided for cutting off the vended portion of the stamp web which remains closed when the machine is not operating but which are moved to the open position and held in the open position while the stamps to be vended are being moved through the opening between the knives. Then after the stamp strip advancing portion of the operating cycle of the machine is completed, the knives are allowed to close, severing the vended stamps from the stamp web, and, also, closing the opening from the outlet of the machine to the stamp web to prevent pilfering of the stamps in the machine. This is the final event of the machine cycle.

As shown in FIGURE 2 of this embodiment, movable knife blade 22 is pivotally attached at one end to stationary blade 17 by pin 65 and pivotally mounted at the other end to plate 66 by pin 67. Mounting plate has integrally attached thereto a laterally extending end plate 68 to which plate 66 is slidably attached by pins 69 and 70. The pins are attached to plate 66 and extend through slots 71 and 72 in plate 68. The upper end of plate 66 is connected to plunger 73 of solenoid 74 mounted on the upper left hand corner of mounting plate 10. Connecting the plate to the solenoid plunger is L-shaped arm 75 which is connected to the plunger by elongated pin 76. If desired, a mechanical counter 77 can be mounted adjacent the solenoid with its counter arm 78 connected to pin 76 to count the number of cycles of operation of the vending machine.

Connected between end plate 68 and moving plate 66 is coil spring 79 which resiliently resists upward movement of plate 66 and which exerts a force urging plate 66 downwardly to close the knives. With this arrangement, then, by energizing solenoid 74 to move its plunger up- Wardly, plate 66 will be carried upwardly causing movable knife blade 22 to pivot around pin 65 and provide an opening between the knives through which the stamp web can be fed by arm 32 and fingers 26. As soon as the solenoid is de-energized at the completion of the cycle, spring 79 will move plate 66 downwardly forcing movable knife blade 22 to move past stationary knife blade 17 and to cut off the vended portion of the stamp web. The knives then will remain in the closed position until the solenoid is re-energized when the machine begins another vending operation.

A suitable electrical circuit for operating this embodiment of the stamp vending machine is illustrated schematically in FIGURE 6. The circuit is shown when the machine is at rest and not operating. Normally open switches b, 85c and 85d are part of a three-switch relay 85. Power lines A and B provide the desired electrical energy for operating the machine.

Power line A is connected to contact 1 of push button switch 86. Contact 2 of this switch is in turn connected to the common contact of switch 87 which has its contact 2 which is normally open when no stamp web is in place but closed when one is in place ready for vending, connected to one end of coil 85a of relay 85 by line 87a. Power line A also is connected to the common contact of switch 85b by line 88. The normally open contact 2 of this switch then is connected to the same end of coil end 8501 as is switch 87, by line 88a. Thus, power can be supplied to one end of coil 85 along two routes.

Power line B is connected to coin accumulator 89 and by lines 90 and 92 to the common contacts of switches 91 and 850 respectively. The coin accumulator is not shown in detail and will not be described as it forms no part of this invention. Various types of coin accumulators are on the market which can be used to control the operation of this type machine. The function of the coin accumulator is to electrically connect power line B to line 89a to supply power to one end of coil 85a of the relay when one or more coins of the proper denomination have been deposited therein.

Switch 91 whose common contact is connected to power line B by line 90 has its norm-ally closed contact 1 connected to the common contact of switch 85a of the relay by line 90a. The normally open contact 2 of this switch is connected through line 90b to line 89a which connects it to the end of coil 85a of the relay. Switch 850 whose common contact is connected to power line B by line 92 has its normally open contact 2 connected by lines 92a, 93 and 94 to motor 45 and knife solenoid 74. Power line A is also connected to motor 45 and solenoid 74 by lines 96 and 97 respectively. The motor and solenoid are connected also to the normally open contact 2 of switch 91 through lines 93, 94 and 95.

In operation the circuit functions as follows: When a coin or coins having sufficient value are deposited in coin accumulator 89 for the accumulator to electrically connect line 89a with power line B, power will be supplied to one end of coil 85a of the relay. The person desiring stamps can then operate push button 86 connecting contacts 1 and 2 thereof which will electrically connect power line A through switch 87 and line 87a to the end of coil 85a opposite that connected to power line B through the coin accumulator and energize the coil. The energized coil will close switches 85b, 85c and 85d moving them to position 2 as indicated by the dotted lines in the drawings. Power line A will then be connected to the end of coil 85a through line 88, switch 85b and line 88a. Further,

connection between power line B and line 89a without deenergizing coil 85.

With switch 850 closed by the coil power lines A and B will be connected across motor 45 and solenoid 74. The motor will begin to run, turning crank arm 49 to beging the vending operation, and solenoid 74 will raise plate 66, pivoting movable knife blade 42 away from stationary knife blade 17 to provide an opening through which the stamp web can be moved.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, as the crank arm rotates, moving one roller into engagement with cam 56 on arm 32, to move it through its stroke into engagement with stop 41, the other roller on the crank will move into engagement with lever arm 91a of switch 91. As the crank arm continues to rotate it will move operating arm 91a moving switch 91 to position 2. This breaks the connection from power line B to coil 85a de-energizing the relay. Switch 35b, 85c and 85d will then return to their position 1 or normally open positions and power will no longer be supplied to motor 45 and solenoid 74 through line 92 and switch 850. Power will continue to be supplied to the motor and solenoid, however, through switch 91 and line 95 since the roller on the crank arm is holding switch 91 in position 2. As the motor continues to run and rotate the crank arm, the roller thereon will start moving downward allowing operating arm 91a to return to its original position and switch 91 to return to its normally closed position 1. When this occurs the connection between power lines A and B across the motor 45 and solenoid will be broken. By this time, of course, arm 32 will have completed its oscillation over track 16 and will have moved the pre-selected number of stamps through the opening between the knife blades and when the solenoid is de-energized, movable knife blade 22 will be pulled downward by spring 79 cutting off the vended portion of stamps. Preferably motor 45 is provided with sufficient inertia to cause crank 49 to continue rotating after switch 91 has interrupted the power supply to the motor and move far enough to return switch 91 to its normally closed position preparatory to another cycle of operation.

Empty switch 87 is provided in the circuit to keep the machine from operating when the stamp supply is exhausted. Electrically this is accomplished by locating the switch between push button switch 86 and relay 85, as shown in FIGURE 6, to keep the relay from being actuated when the empty switch has been moved to its normally open position 1.

Physically this is accomplished by positioning switch 87, as shown in FIGURE 1, with its operating arm 87a in engagement with stamp web 14 through one of the spaces between the plates making up track 16. The switch is positioned so the stamp web will hold the switch closed, its position 2, the switch being a normally open type. Then when the end of the stamp web passes the upper end of track 16, the operating arm of the switch will be released and the switch will move to its normally open position 1, prevent any subsequent energization of the relay by the push button.

The switch will open probably while the stamp web is being moved by arm 32, i.e., somewhere during a cycle of operation. This will not interfere with completion of the cycle, however, since at this point this switch has been 10 by-passed by lines 88 and 88a through switch b of the relay.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus and structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1s:

1. A stamp vending machine for vending a predetermined portion of an elongated web of stamps mounted in the machine in a roll, comprising, a track for slidably supporting the end portion of a stamp web and having an inlet end and an outlet end, an arm pivotally mounted for one end thereof to oscillate over the track; means carried by the arm for engaging a stamp web on the track and moving such web toward the outlet end of the track when the arm moves in one direction; stop means for limiting the angle through which the arm can oscillate to thereby determine the distance the web is moved along the track for each oscillation of the arm, and means for oscillating the arm comprising, a shaft mounted to rotate on its longitudinal axis, means responsive to the deposit of a coin or coins for rotating the shaft on its longitudinal axis in one direction, a crank attached to the shaft for rotation therewith, cam means pivotally mounted on the arm having a first position for engagement by the crank to cause the crank to pivot the arm and move the stamp engaging means carried thereby to move a stamp web toward the outlet of the track, and a second position where the crank can move out of engagement therewith, and resilient means for holding the cam in the first position until the arm engages the stop means whereupon the crank pivots the cam to its second position.

2. The vending machine of claim 1 in which the stop means for limiting the angle through which the arm can oscillate are adjustable to allow the distance the stamp web is moved relative to the track with each oscillation of the arm to be adjusted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,955 3/1922 Pruitt 83-278 X 2,848,222 8/1958 Lewis 226-71 2,974,772 3/1961 Zeigle et al. -I 194-2 3,074,607 1/1963 Casey et al. 22662 3,176,562 4/1965 Fitzgerald 83--278 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

J. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STAMP VENDING MACHINE FOR VENDING A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF AN ELONGATED WEB OF STAMPS MOUNTED IN THE MACHINE IN A ROLL, COMPRISING, A TRACK FOR SLIDABLY SUPPORTING THE END PORTION OF A STAMP WEB AND HAVING AN INLET END AND AN OUTLET END, AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR ONE END THEREOF TO OSCILLATE OVER THE TRACK; MEANS CARRIED BY THE ARM FOR ENGAGING A STAMP WEB ON THE TRACK AND MOVING SUCH WEB TOWARD THE OUTLET END OF THE TRACK WHEN THE ARM MOVES IN ONE DIRECTION; STOP MEANS FOR LIMITING THE ANGLE THROUGH WHICH THE ARM CAN OSCILLATE TO THEREBY DETERMINE THE DISTANCE THE WEB IS MOVED ALONG THE TRACK FOR EACH OSCILLATION OF THE ARM, AND MEANS FOR OSCILLATING THE ARM COMPRISING, A SHAFT MOUNTED TO ROTATE ON ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE DEPOSIT OF A COIN OR COINS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT ON ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS IN ONE DIRECTION, A CRANK ATTACHED TO THE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, CAM MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE ARM HAVING A FIRST POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE CRANK TO CAUSE THE CRANK TO PIVOT THE ARM AND MOVE THE STAMP ENGAGING MEANS CARRIED THEREBY TO MOVE A STAMP WEB TOWARD THE OUTLET OF THE TRACK, AND 